The strings of a sports racquet, such as a tennis racquet or a squash racquet, are constantly moving out of alignment, particularly in situations where the player has a powerful stroke and hits the ball hard. Upon impact, the strings impacting the ball move out of alignment and thus the spacing between the strings becomes irregular. It is typical to see world ranked tennis players, for instance, constantly hand moving the strings of their racquets, and particularly the strings of the "sweet spot" in the central area of the racquet, back into alignment between the times when the ball is in play.
A number of patents and design patents have been issued over the years disclosing and protecting various types of racquet string aligners.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,523, Newberger et al., granted May 16, 1978, discloses an aligning tool for realigning misaligned strings in the central zone of the string network of a racquet after heavy use. The tool includes a plurality of spaced pyramidal projections extending from a base. The tool projections are adapted to be inserted between the strings and force misaligned strings in the racquet back to a normal aligned condition.
The Newberger et al. string aligning tool is designed to accommodate only one racquet string spacing size. Moreover, the truncated pyramids on the Newberger et al. aligner contact only every second string. The Newberger et al. tool cannot be used as the top cover for a container of tennis balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,942, Kent, granted Dec. 25, 1984, discloses a device for aligning strings in the grid of a tennis racquet. The device is comprised of a base which has a peripheral groove for receiving the frame of the racquet. The base has a plurality of posts arranged and shaped to intersect the spaces between strings. A cover is hinged to the base and acts as a press to force the tennis racquet down on the posts, causing mislocated strings to become aligned.
In Kent's racquet string aligner, the spacing posts are of a conical shape and must correspond precisely in spatial arrangement with the spaces between the strings of the racquet. Kent also discloses a cover which can be pressed over the racquet and force the strings down onto the tapered posts, which are held on a platform. Kent cannot deal with different string spacings or be used as a tennis ball can cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,866, Herbert, granted Mar. 29, 1988, discloses a portable string aligner for tennis racquets, racquetball racquets, and for other games in which a racquet is used. The aligner combines an elongated rectangular base member with multiple spacing pegs removably fitted in a retainer track. The spacing-peg tops protruding externally through a track opening in one surface of the base member are of sufficient length and are shaped to fit through the squares formed by the vertical and horizontal cross-over of the racquet strings in a strung racquet head. By hand pressuring the spacing pegs through the racquet string squares, the racquet strings can be restored to proper alignment.
The Herbert racquet string aligner comprises only one row of spacing pegs for re-spacing the racquet strings. The Herbert racquet string aligner has no capacity to handle a range of racquet string spacings. The design of the Herbert string aligner does not permit it to be used as the cap for a can of tennis balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,071, Tabach, granted Jun. 21, 1988, discloses a method for realigning strings in a stringed racquet by using a device which has an elongated rigid member and a hook. Tabach aligns only one string in a racquet at a time. There is no capability of aligning all of the strings in the racquet in unison. The device cannot be used as a container cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,591, Ho, discloses a comb-like portable racquet string straightener which has an elongated holder and a straight row of unconnected teeth mounted in parallel arrangement along the holder. Each tooth has at the free end thereof a string receiving notch which is adapted to engage the strings of a tennis racquet. Ho does not disclose multiple rows of projections for aligning the racquet strings. Moreover, Ho does not disclose any capability of handling assorted string spacings, or the use of the straightener as a tennis ball container lid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,864, Ubl, granted Feb. 5, 1991, discloses a racquet string straightening device which comprises a support, one face of which has projecting therefrom a fixed array of teeth. The teeth are arranged in rows with passages therebetween to receive the strings of a racquet. In a second embodiment, alternate teeth may be omitted. Each tooth has a body of rectangular cross-section defined by pairs of parallel sides and a tapered outer end to facilitate entry of each tooth into the respective openings in the strings.
In the Ubl racquet string straightener, the string aligning projections are rectangular blocks with pyramid tops which cannot accommodate different string spacings. Moreover, the Ubl straightener is designed to fit over the entire racquet string area of the racquet face. The spacing between the blocks and the racquet strings must correspond precisely. The Ubl straightener is not suitable for combining with a container of tennis balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,429, Redrow, granted Jul. 30, 1991, discloses a racquet string straightener that fits onto and co-acts with the strings in the head of a tennis racquet. The string straightener resembles a hair comb. The projections for aligning the strings are distributed in a row. The teeth are held on a substantially rigid body. The straightener cannot accommodate different string spacings or be used as a cover or lid for a tennis ball container.